1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a mount assembly for a vehicle having a frame and a vehicle body wherein movements of the frame relative to the vehicle body in various directions are isolated by separate and independent components of the mount assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Mount assemblies for vehicles are well known in the art. Examples of such assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,809,427; 4,286,777; and 6,361,096. Each of these assemblies include upper and lower insulators for coupling a frame of the vehicle to a vehicle body. The insulators are typically formed of an elastomeric material such as rubber. Washers or flanges are provided on outward surfaces of the insulators and a fastener interconnects the washers or flanges to the vehicle body for sandwiching the insulators between the washers or flanges and for coupling the frame to the vehicle body. A metallic tube or sleeve can be disposed between the washers or flanges to provide structural support and to provide a passageway for the fastener.
The prior art mount assemblies, with the above described characteristics, can operate effectively. However, this construction has limitations. The forces and movement of the frame relative to the vehicle body are frequently transmitted in multiple directions. In particular, the movement of the frame relative to the vehicle body can be transverse to the general plane of the frame and vehicle body, i.e., vertical. Further, the movement of the frame relative to the vehicle body can be parallel with the general plane of the frame and vehicle body, i.e., horizontal or fore, aft, and/or lateral. Of course, the movement of the frame relative to the vehicle body is also frequently some combination thereof. Each insulator of the prior art mount assemblies are designed to isolate movement in both directions. In other words, the vertical movement and the fore, aft, and/or lateral movement is intertwined in these insulators. The design of each of the insulators is therefore a compromise between the optimal design for isolating vertical movement and the optimal design for isolating fore, aft, and/or lateral movement. Hence, the designs of the prior art mount assemblies cannot be finely tuned and the versatility of these mount assemblies is limited.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop a mount assembly that can have greater flexibility, can be tuned to meet optimal design criteria, and continues to adequately isolate movement of a frame relative to a vehicle body.